Challenges to implementing the kangaroo method in nursing practice
Keywords:
Kangaroo Method, Neonatal Intensive Care, Newborn, BreastfeedingAbstract
The Kangaroo Method (KM), recommended by the World Health Organization, is a care strategy aimed at preterm and low birth weight newborns, based on early and continuous skin-to-skin contact, promotion of breastfeeding, and active family participation. Scientific evidence indicates significant benefits, such as improved thermal control, greater physiological stability, stress reduction, shorter hospital stay, and decreased neonatal morbidity and mortality. Despite its effectiveness, the implementation of the method still faces challenges in the hospital context, especially those related to the nursing work process. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the main challenges faced by nursing professionals in implementing the Kangaroo Method, as well as its repercussions on care practice. This is an integrative literature review with a qualitative approach and a descriptive-analytical design. The search was conducted between August 2025 and May 2026 in the databases Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), PubMed, and the Virtual Health Library (BVS/Bireme). Articles published between 2016 and 2025, available in full text, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, and related to the proposed theme were included. After applying the eligibility criteria, six studies were selected for analysis. The results showed that the main barriers were lack of professional training, work overload, structural limitations of services, institutional resistance, and difficulties in family involvement in care. It is concluded that addressing these challenges requires investment in continuing education, improvement of working conditions, and strengthening of humanized practices in order to enhance neonatal care and expand the effectiveness of the Kangaroo Method.
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